This invention pertains in general to a sanitizer for bathroom articles, and more particularly to a device for housing and sanitizing bathroom articles such as toothbrushes, including the effective draining of drainage fluid from the interior of the sanitizer under the force of gravity.
The existence of a specialized cabinet having a particular germicidal lamp or similar device contained therein for sterilizing bathroom articles placed within the cabinet is a well known concept. The following list of United States patents all relate to the subject of sterilizing bathroom articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,922--Moulthrop (May, 1976) PA0 U.S Pat. No. 3,820,251--Abernathy (June, 1974) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,694--Leittl (December, 1973) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,905--Ellis (November, 1967) PA0 U S. Pat. No. 3,309,159--LeSueur et al (March, 1967) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,131--Farrar (April, 1952) PA0 U S. Pat. No. 2,579,242--Pask (December, 1951) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,156--Rosenthal (May, 1951) PA0 U S. Pat. No. 2,424,036--Jackel (July, 1947) PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,505--Christensen (August, 1944)
Bathroom articles such as toothbrushes or hair brushes frequently have fluids (e.g., water, saliva, etc.) contained therein after their use which must be drained to obtain proper sterilization and sanitization. Retained water provides fertile breeding ground for unwanted bacteria and other germs. Ultimately, the deadly Legionnaire's Disease outbreak of Philadelphia, Pa. in the 1970's was traced to such breeding in the stagnate portions of a hotel's water system.
The United States patents listed above fall into three categories with respect to drainage of such drainage fluid. The first category includes those that literally make no provision for drainage of the subject fluid, or there is no defined housing from which drainage is necessary. A second category includes devices which have some sort of drainage function, but which is carried out rather ineffectively (i.e., there is no rigorous method to drain all fluids), or in partial dependence upon ventilation. In some instances, constituting a third category, auxiliary means which require a power input are provided to assist with the removal of drainage fluid. For example, in Moulthrop, an electric motor drives a fan to provide forced ventilation over toothbrushes to provide evaporation of drainage fluid. In Abernathy, an electrically powered heating means is used to literally dry the toothbrushes within the housing.
The present invention discloses a device which effectively permits drainage of fluid from toothbrush articles while they are being sanitized within a housing without the necessity of an auxiliary power input.